The power base continues to grow in stature. Four of the eight listed AFL umpires from NSW/ACT have been appointed to the first week of AFL finals. If we discount Dale Puren who didn’t get onto the field this year due to illness and injury and we have a 57% hit rate in that market place.
One of the many endearing qualities of our most recent milestone recipient, Nick Wade is that he knows how to not take himself too seriously. “With the retirement of John Morris, I am now officially the oldest bloke on the list and very happy to say so and take over that mantle,” exclaimed Nick with a laugh. I’m not sure that there would be too many other people on the list wanting bragging rights about that status!
At the end of every season there is reason to celebrate many wonderful milestones, newly appointed finals umpires and umpires who step up to do grand finals. We should never lose sight of those whose careers come to an end. Four such careers have ended with the final round of the season. All four men have had a huge impact on the culture and each leave a legacy they should be proud off.
In this day and age of statistics and on the eve of another finals series it might be studious to look at what history tells us about umpire selection and finals.
Give a young girl or boy the opportunity to have a kick on the MCG and they will gravitate to it like bees to a honeypot. Add a few umpires who are after all, frustrated footballers, an ex AFL player as the umpire and 22 Down Syndrome kids and their siblings and you have a cocktail for mayhem. That’s exactly what transpired for 30 minutes prior to the Hawthorn v Collingwood game on Sunday, and you will never wipe the smiles off their faces.
Having being told not to continue playing football at Mentone Grammar due to continuing shoulder problems, Courtney Lai turned his mind to waving the white flags and enjoyed it so much, that after a stint at the Southern Football League, he was promoted to the VFL and in the space of four years officiated in 2 TAC and 2 VFL grand finals. This last weekend, Courtney officiated his 50th AFL game at the MCG between Collingwood and Gold Coast.
Ask Gerard what his best trait is and he fires back his answer with no fuss, “My consistency. I have umpired 22 games every year without failure. I was never injured and I am always putting my hand up for selection.”
“I felt so relieved when the game was over, I never realised I was that tense,” admitted a normally relaxed Chelsea Roffey who umpired her 200th AFL game in the Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne game at Etihad Stadium.
It doesn’t matter what time you ring Shane the voice always says, “G’day mate, how are you going?” The voice is always chirpy and the question sincere.